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Doral, Florida — You would not expect to find a charming Parisian bistro in a Hialeah strip mall. Yet “La Fresa Francesa” has thrived there for more than a decade, far from the hustle and bustle of Brickell, Coconut Grove and Coral Gables—and with the rare South Florida luxury of easy parking.
The restaurant occupies three small rooms at 59 West Third Street, across the Okeechobe canal from Miami Springs. Husband-and-wife owners Sandy Sánchez, a Cuban American from Hialeah, and chef Benoit Rablat, a Paris-born cook raised on the food of southern France, opened the place in 2015. Walking in feels like entering a beloved aunt’s house: low light, soft music, mismatched china, family pictures and bric-a-brac on every surface. It is cozy, slightly eccentric and unmistakably personal.
The kitchen’s featured dish is the one that could only have been invented here: a foie gras and guava pastelito. That French-Cuban pairing is the house signature. Around it sit the bistro classics. These begin with French onion soup, Burgundy snails and a generous arugula salad. We started our dinner with two glasses of sparkling white wine.
Main plates include steak frites, pork chop à la crème, pan-seared salmon, duck-leg confit, and braised rabbit, along with osso buco ravioli and gnocchi parisiene. The wine list is thoughtful—French Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and a Malbec that is not from Argentina. Crepes, both savory and sweet, run through the menu from brunch to dessert.
The cheese course is the real test of a French kitchen. The three-cheese plate arrived at proper room temperature on a board with warm country bread, nuts, honey and house jam: a soft cheese, a goat cheese, and a firm one, presented without fuss and eaten with pleasure.
Desserts include profiteroles and crème brûlée. After dinner your columnist had a dry Spanish sherry, and my wife had black tea, properly brewed and served in a festive teapot. We were there to mark the 45th anniversary of our church wedding. This restaurant was proper for the occasion.
Service was courteous and attentive. Hours are Monday and Tuesday closed; Wednesday through Friday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, brunch and dinner, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (some listings put Saturday’s start at noon—call ahead). Reservations are strongly recommended. The website at lafresafrancesa.shop does not display the full menu as clearly as it should, but this restaurant is worth the visit.
